WILTSHIRE Council says that they have “never felt a need for CCTV” to monitor the field at Leighton Recreation Centre despite ongoing incidents of vandalism and anti-social behaviour in the area.
The Westbury and District Cricket Club, who use the field for matches, have seen repeated incidents of vandalism to cricket club equipment and dog mess being left on the playing area.
Westbury town councillors recently heard a proposal for the town council to install CCTV in a bid to identify those responsible for the vandalism and to act as a deterrent. But the plans hit a stumbling block as councillors couldn’t reach a decision on who should pay the costs of installation (£13,433) as the recreation centre and the land it sits on is owned by Wiltshire Council who already said they would not pay for the CCTV.
Despite councillors being told at a meeting of the town council earlier this month that Wiltshire Council has provisionally agreed to the installation of CCTV providing Westbury Town Council funded it, Wiltshire Council now says there has “never been a need” for CCTV in the area.
Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, cabinet member for leisure at Wiltshire Council said, “The issue of CCTV has been discussed with the cricket club as part of negotiations around leasing the field, but we have never felt there has been a need to utilise CCTV in this area and it does not form part of the lease agreement.
“We have been working with Westbury Cricket Club to address the anti-social behaviour and dog fouling that has occurred on the cricket ground.
“Wiltshire Council have installed bollards to prevent cars driving on to the field and have installed an additional dog bin. Our dog warden has also been working to increase signage and awareness of dog fouling in this area. The leisure centre team complete daily litter picks of the area to help keep it safe and tidy.”
The local police team also stepped-up patrols in the area last month following the reports of anti-social behaviour and vandalism.
